


The Light Behind Your Eyes

by SakumiYukime



Series: Klangst Week 2018 [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Blade of Marmora Keith (Voltron), Character Death, Feelings, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Klangst Week 2018, M/M, Mutual Pining, Regret, Self-Doubt, Self-Sacrifice, Self-Worth Issues, light/shadow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-13 21:35:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14121321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakumiYukime/pseuds/SakumiYukime
Summary: Why are the people you love the most, the first ones to leave you?





	The Light Behind Your Eyes

“It’s ok… You’re going to be ok.” His voice comes out weak, definitely cracking. He tries to take a deep breath, tries to keep himself calm, but there’s just so much blood.

So much red everywhere.

“I’ll get you to the pods in time, I-”

Everything he says, every word he utters, sounds like a lie.

“Lance?” Keith's voice seems so faint and breathless.

“It’s ok. You’re going to be fine.” He tells him again, making an effort to reassure Keith that he will survive - Making an effort to reassure _himself_ that Keith will survive _._

The black haired teen looks at him through hazy eyes. He knows it’s too late. He knows he can’t make it.

“Lance, _please_ , listen,” His words are soft, and his hand makes an effort to reach Lance’s tanned one. “I- I want you to tell everyone that-”

The blue paladin lowers his head, slightly shaking it, mumbling in denial as Keith tries to speak, “No. You- I won’t. You can tell them yourself. It’s gonna be ok. I promise.”

They both know it's a lie.

“Lance, please tell everyone that I missed them while I was in the blades. I really did.”

The light of the castle, the smiles of the people that made ship their home, their unforgettable smiles, jokes, ideas. He had missed them so much.

“Please, don’t-”

A small sob followed, efficiently making Lance stop. The blue paladin was reduced to a mess in an instant, blue tears streaming down from his dazzling blue eyes.

Keith made an effort to smile while his other hand - the one that wasn't grabbing onto Lance will all his might - lifted to graze his face and softly brush the tears away. “I’m very proud of you, and everyone else. I’m so glad and happy. You guys are doing a great job.”

There was surprise in Lance’s eyes when he felt Keith’s cold hands touching him lightly, but he didn’t say anything. He only leaned closer to the touch, swallowing down a couple hiccups while allowing Keith words to pierce him.

“It’s my fault,” He blamed himself, “This is all my fault.”

Lance could only blame himself for what had happened. This was his mission, his job to do.

The blue paladin had been assigned on a solo mission, nothing too important or critical, something simple that he could totally handle. Until he couldn’t.

The team had agreed that Red was the only possible lion that could support the heat of the planet where the galra base was located. The only thing Lance had to do, was to get inside unnoticed, plant a small chip Pidge had made on the mother computer, and leave undetected. Easy in, and easy out.

Lance wasn’t even sure when he had been spotted, or how they found him. He had been so careful, following all the protocols and information Kolivan and the blades had offered about the base and their defensive mechanisms.

Before he could turn the situation around, Keith was there, fighting by his side like they used to do. Before he could do anything, Keith was taking the hit for him, and falling by his side.

Somehow, don’t ask him how, he had managed to get him in Red. He noticed the lion’s obvious distress, so perfectly reflecting his own. He begged him to take them home, as he cradled Keith closer.

“Lance?” Keith’s purple eyes were so beautiful, “It’s _not_ your fault.”

The blue paladin made an effort to remain whole, but it was so hard to keep it together when he was so aware of how useless he was. Even as he laid there, holding Keith in his arms, he had no idea what to do, how to help him, how to make the pain stop.

He had no idea how to save him, and he knew Keith was going to leave them because he _wasn’t good enough_.

Keith can see how scared Lance is. He can see how his eyes lost their bright, and just knows he is fighting a losing battle.

Yet, he can’t bring himself to stop fighting. He can’t bring himself to give up on him. Not when Lance never stopped believing in Keith's ability when everyone doubted it. Including Keith himself.

“It’s ok. You’re going to be ok.” Now it’s Keith turn to say the lies. He grips Lance’s hand tighter, using all the strength he has in him, “You’re strong. You can be even stronger when I’m gone. I know.”

Lance shakes his head, forcing the tears to fall from his eyes, as he fades into the darkness within.

“I’m sorry. I really am. I wish things could've been different.”

“Please don’t- don’t-”

_Don’t say goodbye._

“Don’t leave me again” It’s all he can say.

It’s not an accusation. It’s not a threat. It’s not even a request.

Keith’s hand reaches his face, cupping it gently again. He smiles so softly, softer than he ever has before. “You know I can’t do that”

There’s sadness in his tone. Lance knows he doesn’t want to leave. Lance knows he never wanted to leave.

They’ll say goodbye today.

“I’m sorry this ends this way.” Lance doesn’t want to hear it, every word Keith utters is a reminder that he won't come back. A reminder of how much he will miss that soft smile. Lance knows he would have done so many things differently - He would have done everything differently if it meant having him back.

“If you promise not to cry,” Lance wonders when has Keith’s words grown so small, “I’ll tell you just what I would say, if I could be with you tonight.”

The blue paladin swallows a sob, biting the tears away as he holds Keith closer, unable to let go, listening to his words like they could fade into nothingness in the next second.

“I would hold you in my arm through all those sleepless nights,” He had heard him cry so many times, “I would keep you close, let you hear the beating of my heart, sing you to sleep just to push the nightmares away,” He had heard him scream so many times through those nights.

He never had the guts to knock on the door next to his.

“No. No. We- I- There’s still time. We're almost there." They weren't.

"We can. You’ll be ok, I promise. I let you go once, but I won't let it happen again.”

“You can make it through this, Lance. You’re stronger than you think.” The boy shakes his head, suffocating on his own denial.

“Yes, you can.” Keith tells him softly, “You’re special,” He smiles, “You’re worth so much more,”

More than his life.

“You’re destined to many great things, and you have to live,”

_Not for me. For yourself._

“You can be strong, I know. You won’t fade in the dark because you will always burn as bright.”

He was the light,

_Their light._

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [The Light Behind Your Eyes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSg-eHng52E) by My Chemical Romance


End file.
